Bash Bish Falls and the STT!!

After what has seemed forever I had a day where nothing was pressing and I could get back into the woods and hike.  I decided to hike a section of the South Taconic Trail.  I have done the southern portion of the trail from Alander Mountain to the southern terminus so today I hiked from Bash Bish Falls south to Alander Mountain.  I was solo today so this was an out and back hike, which ended up being about 8.5 miles round trip.  I parked at the upper parking lot and started hiking about 10am. The trail goes down steeply to the viewing area for Bash Bish Falls.

The falls are quite a sight and I enjoyed the view for a few minutes then moved on, I had miles to cover.  From the falls I headed down the trail toward the New York parking area and crossed the river to pick up the South Taconic Trail.  The trail climbs steeply up from the river for about 1.3 miles.

 It is a tough climb to the top, then the trail levels out along the ridge.  Once on the ridge it was a nice hike to Alander Mountain.  It took about 2 hours to hike to the summit.

 I stopped at the Alander Mountain cabin and cooked lunch before the return journey.  The cabin was empty, but looks like it does get a good amount of activity.  It has a wood stove and bunks that will accommodate about six people.  I enjoyed making lunch there as it was out of the wind and has a counter and stool to sit on.

After putting everything back the way I had found it and securing the door I made my way back to the trail and headed back toward the car.  The return trip went well and I was back to the car by 3pm. Today was a beautiful fall day, with bright sunshine and temps in the 40's, a great day to hike. Another section of the South Taconic Trail done.

"What shoe do you hike in?"

I have people ask me all the time what shoes do I usually hike in?  For the past two years I have been using the Keen Targhee II low hikers and really like them.

 They have a durable leather upper with Keens customary toe cap and a lugged sole that provides good traction. The Targhee II is a waterproof shoe, using Keens waterproofing system.  This waterproofing has held up well, keeping my feet dry in all types of conditions.  I like the low hikers over the mid because they give my ankles free range of movement and I find I don't need the support of the mid.  The Targhee II hold my heel securely and my feet don't move around in the shoe.  I have had no blister issues while wearing them as well. The lows have a slight weight advantage over the mid hikers as one would expect. They have good traction in many different conditions and terrain, including wet rocks, mud, roots, leaves, and slopes.  These shoes felt great out of the box and after a few trips mold well to my feet.  My personal experience has been that they tend to run on the small side so I have been buying them 1/2 size bigger than other shoes.  Best to try them on before purchase. For day hikes to longer backpacking trips I have found they can handle the various weights I am carrying.

I like the Keens and will be hiking more miles in them.  I will also be trying some other manufacturers trail runners/hikers in the future but for now I will be sticking with the Keen Targhee II low.


Disclaimer: Andy Fenn purchased the Keen Targhee II low hikers with his own money.